With the due date of February 9, 2018 for real estate tax bills approaching, Medina County Treasurer John Burke wants to remind taxpayers of last minute options for paying their taxes. “Using our online payment options, taxpayers can make sure their tax payment is made right up to midnight of the due date.”
Online tax payments are easy, safe, fast and convenient. Just go online to the Treasurer’s website at www.medinacountytreasurer.com and click “Search and Pay Taxes” in the left column to find your tax bill amount and online payment options. There are several online tax payment options to choose from. You can pay using an e-check (electronic check) which allows the homeowner to pay directly from their bank account anytime 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is a $1.50 fee paid to the vendor for using this option. Taxpayers can also use their PayPal account or credit card. A fee of 2.25% is charged by the vendor for these options and the County does not receive any of the fees charged. MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express credit cards are accepted online. To pay with a credit card by phone call 888-607-8389. American Express is not accepted over the phone. There is also an option with PayPal that allows the tax bill amount to be paid on “PayPal credit.” There are no payments or interest charges if you pay it off in full within 6 months. The normal 2.25% fee does apply to using this option. “I have seen many taxpayers use this option to get extra time to pay and avoid missing the due date and a late penalty charge of 10%,” said Burke. Of course, taxpayers can always make their tax payments in person at the Treasurer’s Office at 144 N. Broadway Street in Medina. As a convenience, Burke said his normal hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays are being extended on the due date of Friday, February 9th to 6:00 pm. There are also four drop boxes for tax payments located around the county – in Medina at the County Administration Building and at the Wadsworth Municipal Building, Brunswick City Hall and Lodi Library. Burke reminds taxpayers that only check payments are to be made using drop boxes (no cash) and remember to include your tax bill stub. Any payments made by mail must be postmarked by the due date. “I always suggest that taxpayers who mail their tax payment on the last day walk it into the post office and make sure it is postmarked by that due date to avoid any late penalty fee,” said Burke. Taxpayers who are assessed a late penalty fee by the Auditor, may be able to get it removed by filing a Remission of Penalty form which can be obtained at the Treasurer’s Office. If you have any questions about your tax bill you may call the Treasurer’s Office at 330-725-9748. You may also view your tax balance due, look up your tax payments or print a receipt online at our website, www.medinacountytreasurer.com. While on the website, you are also encouraged to join the Treasurer’s email list so that you can receive important due date reminders and other information regarding your tax bill online.
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MEDINA COUNTY, OHIO – Medina County Treasurer John Burke wants to help taxpayers make sure they pay their property taxes by the February 9th due date to avoid penalties.
The Treasurer’s Office provides a free service of reminding taxpayers who have not paid their taxes by the last week of collection of the tax payment due date. Treasurer Burke explained, “We run a report 5 days before the due date to determine who has not yet paid their taxes and automatically call them with a friendly reminder message about the due date.” The Treasurer sends the recorded reminder message to about 12,000 to 17,000 each half. Burke says about 65% of the calls are picked up live by the homeowner while the other 35% go to answering machines or services. Burke said he believes Medina County is the only county in Ohio providing this type of customer service. “Each time we make those reminder calls, I will have some homeowner thank me for the reminder to pay taxes on time; it can usually save the taxpayer several hundred dollars in late penalty fees.” By Ohio Revised Code any late payment after the due date has a maximum penalty of 10% placed on the parcel by the County Auditor. The Treasurer’s office has maintained a phone number database linked with taxpayers’ parcel numbers for over 15 years. But a growing problem has been County residents who have canceled their land-based home phone numbers and are using cellphone numbers instead. “Our phone number database has shrunk 25% in the last few years from about 47,000 phone numbers to 35,000,” Burke said. Cellphones are not public like home phone numbers, and therefore the Treasurer’s Office makes a concerted effort to obtain current phone numbers and email addresses from taxpayers to provide important tax information. “We would like to be able to send pertinent tax information to homeowners directly and quickly by phone and/or email,” Burke noted. The Treasurer explained that this contact information is used only by his office for important tax information. “For example we would like taxpayers to know when tax bills have been mailed, if there is any issue with their tax bill or payment, and procedure or law changes that would immediately affect their tax bill.” Treasurer Burke said there are several ways for taxpayers to update contact information. First is using the County Treasurer website at medinacountytreasurer.com and clicking the link under “Subscribe to Our Email List” on the homepage. Taxpayers can also call the Treasurer’s Office at 330-725-9748 or send the information by mail to John Burke, Medina County Treasurer, 144 N. Broadway Street, Medina Ohio 44256. On January 9, 2018, Medina County Treasurer John Burke announced that first half 2017 tax bills are expected to be mailed within the next 10 days to property owners in Medina County. The official due date for these property tax bills is February 9, 2018.
If taxpayers do not receive a tax bill in the mail, Treasurer Burke recommends calling his office at 330.725.9748 or going to the Treasurer’s website (not the Auditor’s Website) at medinacountytreasurer.com and look up your tax bill. Just click “Search and Pay Taxes” in the left column to find your tax bill amount. Taxpayers can print an official tax bill and can also use online payment options. Treasurer Burke noted. “Online tax payments are easy, safe, fast and convenient and we provide a variety of online payment options.” Taxpayers can pay by electronic check, ACH, credit card or PayPal account. There is a fee of $1.50 for ACH electronic checks. The fee for credit card and PayPal is 2.25% of the payment amount. These fees are paid directly to the bank vendors and Medina County does not receive any part of the fees. If you are paying by check, convenient 24-Hour Drive-Up Drop Boxes may be found at the following locations: • Treasurer’s Office, County Administration Building, 144 North Broadway Street, Medina • Brunswick City Hall, 4095 Center Road, Brunswick • Lodi Library, 635 Wooster Street, Lodi • Wadsworth Municipal Building, 120 Maple Street, Wadsworth Make sure you include your tax bill stub with your check. Payments may be made in person at the Treasurer’s office at 144 N. Broadway, Medina, from 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday thru Friday. The office will be open until 6:00pm on the February 9th due date. You will need to present your entire tax bill at time of payment. Checks, cash or credit cards – Visa, MasterCard, Discover – are accepted over the counter. American Express is not. A convenience fee will be assessed by the vendor. Tax payments which are mailed MUST be postmarked no later than the February 9th due date to avoid a 5% penalty; payments made after February 20th will be assessed a 10% penalty. If you have any questions, please call Medina County Treasurer’s office at 330.725.9748. Some Medina County property owners leave Ohio in the winter for warmer climates. Commonly known as snowbirds, these taxpayers often have their mail forwarded from their primary Medina County residence to their winter home. In January, this probably includes such mail as your real estate tax bill. If you are one of these snowbirds please be aware that forwarding mail takes additional time at the post office and this may delay the arrival of your real estate property tax bill. First-half tax bills are usually mailed during January with a due date in early February. Ohio law states that the taxpayer is ultimately responsible for paying their real estate taxes on time, whether or not they receive a tax bill. At the Treasurer’s Office, we are always trying to provide information and better customer service. Taxpayers have the ability to look up their real estate tax bill online and make payments on our website at medinacountytreasurer.com. If you are concerned that you have not received your tax bill in January, visit the website or call 330.725.9748 to check. Options for Making Tax Payments Online tax payments are easy, safe, fast and convenient. On our website, you can pay your tax bill anytime – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just go online to the Treasurer’s website at medinacountytreasurer.com and click on the left hand tab “Search and Pay Taxes” to find your tax bill amount and payment options. You can also review your payment history and print receipts. There are several online tax payment options from which to choose. You can pay by using e-check (electronic check) which allows homeowners to pay directly from their bank account at any time. There is a $0.50 fee paid to the vendor for using this option. Taxpayers can also use their PayPal account or credit card. A fee of 2.25% is charged by the vendor for these options and the County does not receive any of the fees charged. MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express credit cards are accepted online. You can also pay with a credit card by phone by calling 888.607.8389. Be aware that American Express is not accepted over the phone. There is also a “bill me later” option with PayPal that allows the tax bill amount to be paid on “PayPal credit.” There are no payments or interest charges if you pay it off in full within 6 months. The normal 2.25% fee does apply to using this option. We have seen many taxpayers use this option which allows them extra time to pay, avoiding missing the due date and the 10% late penalty charge. Of course, taxpayers can always make their tax payments in person at the Treasurer’s Office located at 144 N. Broadway Street in Medina. Any payments made by mail must be postmarked by the due date. There are also four drop boxes for tax payments located outside of the County Administration Building in Medina, Wadsworth Municipal Building, Brunswick City Hall and Lodi Library. Remember to include your tax bill stub with your payment. If you are late in paying your tax bill and are assessed a late penalty fee by the Auditor, you may be able to get it removed by filing a Remission of Penalty form. This form can be obtained and filed at our Treasurer’s Office. If you have any questions about your tax bill you may call the Treasurer’s Office at 330.725.9748 or email us treasurerburke@medinaco.org. Medina County Treasurer John Burke reported this week that taxpayers are trying to prepay their 2018 real estate property taxes by December 31, 2017 to get the most from itemized tax deductions on their 2017 IRS tax return.
According to numerous sources, the new federal tax law passed by Congress and the President will limit the federal itemized deductions for state and local income tax and real estate property tax to $10,000 in the future. “The new tax law has caused a flurry of activity in the Treasurer’s Office. People are trying to pay their next year property taxes now before the end of 2017,” said Burke. The Treasurer also stated that payments for multiple future years will not be accepted. As of Monday, the Treasurer’s Office had not received the new calculated taxes to be sent out in 2018. But this should not stop taxpayers from prepaying their taxes if they wish, according to Burke. Taxpayers can pay the same amount of property tax they paid in 2017 as an estimate. When the Treasurer receives the new 2018 tax bill amounts from the Auditor, if there is any balance due because of new levies etc., it will be billed at that time. Of course, taxpayers can pay their taxes in person at the Treasurer’s Office. Hours are weekdays 8 am to 4:30 pm. If tax payments are mailed they must postmarked by December 31, 2017 for yearend payment. Taxpayers can pay their property taxes right up to midnight on December 31st by using the County Treasurer’s website. Just go to medinacountytreasurer.com and select “Search and Pay Taxes” on the left. Then you can search for your property by name, address or parcel number. Once you locate your property select “view” and it will show your last property tax bill and if it was paid. Then select “Add to Cart” and a box will come up to enter the dollar amount you wish to pay. There are numerous ways to make a payment. You can use an electronic check which has a fee of fifty cents or you can use a credit card or PayPal account which has a fee of 2.25% of the payment amount. These fees go to the vendor or bank. The County does not receive any of the fees. Some taxpayers have recently asked to pay property taxes for several years in advance. “According to Ohio Revised Code taxpayers can only prepay one year of property taxes, so that means we can only take a payment amount for 2018 taxes by December 31, 2017 yearend,” said Burke. The Treasurer’s office can be reached by calling 330-725-9748, sending an email to treasurerburke@medinaco.org or by stopping by the office in the County Administration Building. MEDINA COUNTY, OHIO – Medina County Treasurer John Burke announced homeowners should receive their 2nd half real estate tax bills in the mail within the week of June 12th. Treasurer Burke also unveiled a new mobile connection that allows taxpayers to make tax payments and access tax information from their smart phones.
This new way of paying real estate taxes is faster, easier, more convenient and private according to Treasurer Burke. It provides an easy connection to the Medina County Treasurer’s website via a smart phone, and no mobile app needs to be down loaded. “It is safe and secure, it actually sets up a private session each time a taxpayer accesses our highly secure web browser,” Burke explained. The use of smart phones to access information and pay bills is a growing trend. Burke noted that in a recent survey over 80% of mobile phones are now smartphones, and 46% of those users make mobile payments from their devices. The largest group of users of this technology is those under 35 years of age. “Striving to provide a higher level of service to taxpayers is a top priority in my office,” said Burke. “And mobile tax payments help achieve that goal.” The Medina County Treasurer’s Office is one of only six counties in Ohio to adopt the new technology for making tax payments. “We actually tested it this year in January and had $204,000 in real estate taxes paid using this new mobile connection,” said Burke. All the information on the County Treasurer’s website is available through the taxpayer’s mobile device. For example, tax payment history, actual tax bill, taxing information and payment options are accessible from any mobile device. If taxpayers have questions about this new payment method, they can contact the Treasurer’s office by calling 330-725-9748. Taxpayers can also make tax payments with their credit card or PayPal account. A standard 2.25% fee is charged by the vendor. Visit our website at medinacountytreasurer.com to make online payments. Electronic checks may be used to pay tax bills for a small fee of 50 cents. Treasurer Burke noted there were 68,109 tax bills printed for the 2nd half 2016 collection. The due date for payment will be July 14, 2017. Taxpayers mailing their tax payment must have it postmarked by the due date. For customer convenience, the Treasurer’s Office will be open late until 6 pm on the due date of July 14th. You will need to present your entire tax bill at time of payment. Checks, cash or credit cards – Visa, MasterCard, Discover – are accepted over the counter. American Express is not. A convenience fee will be assessed by the vendor. Tax payments which are mailed MUST be postmarked no later than the July 14th due date to avoid a 5% penalty; payments made after July 24th will be assessed a 10% penalty. If you do not receive your real estate tax bill within two weeks, Treasurer Burke suggests that you call his office at 330-725-9748. MEDINA COUNTY – Spring is here and homeowners considering renovating or remodeling their homes might want to take advantage of low fixed interest rates on loans from County Treasurer John Burke’s Fix-It Funds Program. Beginning May 15, 2017, Fix-It Funds loan money will be available to Medina County homeowners through Westfield Bank at a fixed interest rate, which is up to 2% below the bank’s current rate.
“Since its inception in 2002, this county-sponsored program has been very helpful to over 890 homeowners in Medina County, providing over $12.9 million dollars in loans,” Burke stated. “Over the last two years, 54 loans were processed through the program totaling $1,002,371.” Almost all types of interior and exterior home improvements are eligible including painting, wallpapering, lighting, flooring, plumbing, carpeting, furnaces, air conditioners, remodeling, additions, decks, window and door replacements, roofing, siding, gutters, driveways, and sidewalks. A few “luxury” improvements are ineligible, including swimming pools, hot tubs and satellite dishes. Loans can range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $50,000 and are given on a first-come, first-served basis until the available funds are depleted. To qualify for this program, you must be a Medina County resident; your home must have an appraised home value of less than $250,000 (excluding land) according to the Medina County Auditor’s appraised value; and you cannot be delinquent on your real estate taxes. There is no maximum income limit to qualify for these loans. According to county records, about 90% of Medina County homeowners may qualify for a Fix-It Funds Loan. Burke said, “this year we’ve raised the eligible home value to $250,000 which reflects current valuations and should open this opportunity up to more homeowners.” Qualified homeowners interested in low-interest home improvement loans may apply at Westfield Bank branches in Medina at 4015 Medina Road (Route 18) and Two Park Circle in Westfield Center. For more information, please contact the Medina County Treasurer’s office at 330.725.9746, medinacountytreasurer@medinaco.org or Westfield Bank, Cheryl Murrin at 330.764.6091, CherylMurrin@westfield-bank.com MEDINA COUNTY, OHIO – Medina County Treasurer John Burke is reminding taxpayers that March 31, 2017 is the last day to file an appeal to change your property values for the current tax bills with the Board of Revision (BOR). The tax bills that were sent out this year included new 2016 updated reappraisal values placed on your property by the County Auditor. Ohio Law requires the reappraisal of all property once every six years with an update three years after.
The new 2016 property values are based on an analysis of the prior three years’ sales trends and applied on a percentage basis by neighborhood and taxing district. Burke said “The average property value increased approximately 9% for residential homes and 5% for commercial properties. If you feel your new property value is too high, you can appeal it by completing a Board of Revision complaint form. But, preparing takes some time, so I suggest you begin now if you wish to appeal.” The Board of Revision is made up of the County Auditor, County Treasurer and one County Commissioner or their designated representatives. The three BOR members hear complaints filed by taxpayers and make the decisions on any change to property values. Treasurer Burke has been on the Board of Revision for 22 years and provided some tips for taxpayers who may want to file a complaint form. Sometimes taxpayers ask him how they can tell if their property value is correct or fair. Burke recommends you look at the “total 100% appraised value” established by the County Auditor and ask yourself the following question: “Could I sell my house for the total property value that has been set by the Auditor?” If your answer is yes or you think you could sell it for more, then you should be satisfied with your new updated value. If your answer is no, you can look for comparable sales and appeal your value to the Medina County Board of Revision. “It is important that you provide evidence that indicates the true value of your home or property. The best evidence is comparable sales or transfers that have occurred close to January 1 of the tax year 2016,” he noted. Ohio law requires the County Auditor to appraise property values based on the estimated fair market value. Burke clarified that the fair market value is the price that your property would be expected to sell for on the open market between an “informed and willing” buyer and seller. Burke noted the burden of proof lies with the complainant to establish market value. “Remember that your evidence presented to the BOR must pertain to the property value not the taxes or tax rates.” A private appraiser can determine the market value but there is normally a fee for this service. Another approach is the market comparison in which the taxpayer researches property transfers or sales of homes over the past few years that are similar to their house. These are comparable sales and a simple way to compare values is to first calculate the price per square foot by dividing the sales price with the total square footage of living space. The taxpayer can then take the County Auditor’s appraised value of their property and divide it by the total square footage and compare it. Burke said, “I encourage taxpayers who file a BOR appeal to find 3 or 4 properties that have been sold for a square foot price less than the square foot price of their home.” The BOR rules state that the Auditor may present similar comparable sale values at the BOR hearing. The taxpayer can ask up to 10 days in advance of the hearing date for the Auditor’s comparable sales to review them before the hearing. Taxpayers can obtain a BOR complaint form at the County Auditor’s Office in the County Administration Building 144 N. Broadway Street in Medina or by downloading the form (DTE Form 1) online at the Auditor’s website. Complete the form, have it notarized and deliver it to the Auditor by March 31, 2017. If mailing it in make sure it is post marked by March 31st. You will be notified of a hearing date. The Treasurer’s office can be reached by calling 330-725-9748, sending an email to treasurerburke@medinaco.org or by stopping by the office in the County Administration Building. MEDINA COUNTY, OHIO – Medina County Treasurer John Burke wants to help taxpayers make sure they pay their property taxes on time to avoid penalties. An insert was put in the in the first half tax bills asking taxpayers to provide current contact information such as cell phones and email addresses so that the Treasurer’s Office can contact them about important tax update information.
The Treasurer’s Office provides a free service of reminding taxpayers who have not paid their taxes by the last week of collection of the tax payment due date. Treasurer Burke explained,” We run a report 5 days before the due date to see who has not yet paid their taxes and automatically call them with a friendly reminder message about the due date. Last year my office called 11,836 taxpayers, helping them to avoid a penalty.” Burke said he believes Medina County is the only county in Ohio providing this type of customer service. “Each time we make those reminder calls, I will have some homeowner thank me for the reminder to pay taxes on time; it can usually save the taxpayer several hundred dollars in late penalty fees.” By Ohio Revised Code any late payment after the due date has a maximum penalty of 10% placed on the parcel by the County Auditor. The Treasurer’s office has maintained a phone number database linked with taxpayers’ parcel numbers for several years. But a growing problem has been County residents who have canceled their land-based home phone numbers and are using cellphone numbers instead. “Our phone number database has shrunk 25% in the last few years from about 47,000 phone numbers to 35,000,” Burke said. Cellphones are not public like home phone numbers, and therefore the Treasurer’s Office makes a concerted effort to obtain current phone numbers from taxpayers. The Treasurer is also requesting email addresses to send information to taxpayers. “We would like to be able to send pertinent tax information to homeowners directly and quickly by phone and/or email,” Burke noted. The Treasurer explained that this contact information is used only by his office for important tax information. “For example we would like taxpayers to know when tax bills have been mailed, if there is any issue with their tax bill or payment, and procedure or law changes that would immediately affect their tax bill.” Treasurer Burke said there are several ways for taxpayers to update contact information. First is using the County Treasurer website at medinacountytreasurer.com and clicking the link under “Subscribe to Our Email List” on the homepage. Taxpayers can also call the Treasurer’s Office at 330-725-9748 or send the information by mail to John Burke, Medina County Treasurer, 144 N. Broadway Street, Medina Ohio 44256. MEDINA COUNTY, OHIO – With the due date of February 10th for real estate tax bills looming, Medina County Treasurer John Burke wants to remind taxpayers of last minute options for paying their taxes.
Online tax payments are easy, safe, fast and convenient. Just go online to the Treasurer’s website at medinacountytreasurer.com and click “Search and Pay Taxes” in the left column to find your tax bill amount and payment options. There are several online tax payment options to choose from. You can pay using an e-check (electronic check) which allows the homeowner to pay directly from their bank account anytime 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is a $0.50 fee paid to the vendor for using this option. Taxpayers can also use their PayPal account or credit card. A fee of 2.25% is charged by the vendor for these options and the County does not receive any of the fees charged. MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express credit cards are accepted online. To pay with a credit card by phone call 888-607-8389. American Express is not accepted over the phone. There is also an option with PayPal that allows the tax bill amount to be paid on “PayPal credit.” There are no payments or interest charges if you pay it off in full within 6 months. The normal 2.25% fee does apply to using this option. “I have seen many taxpayers use this option to get extra time to pay and avoid missing the due date and getting a late penalty charge of 10%,” said Burke. Of course, taxpayers can always make their tax payments in person at the Treasurer’s Office at 144 N. Broadway Street in Medina. As a convenience Burke said his normal hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays are being extended on the due date of Friday, February 10th to 6:00 pm. There are also four drop boxes for tax payments located around the county – in Medina at the County Administration Building and at the Wadsworth Municipal Building, Brunswick City Hall and Lodi Library. Burke reminds taxpayers that only check payments are to be made using drop boxes (no cash) and remember to include your tax bill stub. Any payments made by mail must be postmarked by the due date. “I always suggest that taxpayers who mail their tax payment on the last day walk it into the post office and make sure it is postmarked by that due date to avoid any late penalty fee,” said Burke. Taxpayers who are assessed a late penalty fee by the Auditor, may be able to get it removed by filing a Remission of Penalty form which can be obtained at the Treasurer’s Office. If you have any questions about your tax bill you may call the Treasurer’s Office at 330-725-9748. You may also view your tax balance due, look up your tax payments or print a receipt online at our website, medinacountytreasurer.com. While on the website, you are also encouraged to join the Treasurer’s email list so that you can receive important due date reminders and other information regarding your tax bill online. |
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